HONOLULU Magazine helps you find the dentist you need, whether it’s for a routine checkup or more specialized work. They come highly recommended, by other dentists, who know their work best.

Illustration: Angelica Rabang

How We Created This List

Who conducted this survey?

Professional Research Services Inc. (PRS), a Detroit-based company that administers peer-review surveys of professionals including doctors, lawyers and dentists.

Who was surveyed?

PRS contacted more than 5,500 licensed general dentists, dental specialists and referring physicians (including family medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatrics, head and neck plastic surgeons) in the State of Hawai‘i and asked them which dentists they would recommend across seven geographical areas within the Islands. Each dentist was allowed to recommend up to three colleagues in each given dental specialty. Once the ballots were complete, each nominee was carefully evaluated on the basis of the survey results, the legitimacy of their license, and their current standing with the State of Hawai‘i Dental Board. Dentists who received the highest number of votes in each specialty are reflected by specialty and in alphabetical order.

What instructions were they given in completing the survey?

Voting was done online in the fall of 2014. Dentists who visited the site were instructed to vote by clicking on a nomination field and selecting a dentist, organized by geographic location and specialty. All licensed dentists in the state were available for selection. Dentists were able to recommend up to three colleagues in each given dental specialty and were able to manually nominate three physicians if they did not appear on the drop down list. Respondents were allowed to modify their ballots until the closing date.

Did specialists vote only on their own specialty, and vice-versa for general-practice dentists?

No, people could vote across all practices.

Could a dentist vote for him or herself?

Technically, yes, but most dentists only recommended their colleagues, as the survey was designed as a peer review. Additionally, each dentist appearing on the list received more than one vote.

Were dentists on every island included in both nominations and polling?

Yes.

What are the voting categories?

These specialties are split into the following geographic areas: ‘Aiea/Pearl City/Waipahu/Mililani/Wahiawā, Big Island, Honolulu, Kāne‘ohe/Kailua, Kaua‘i, Maui/Moloka‘i/Lāna‘i, other O‘ahu. Dentists were allowed to vote for five dentists in each category and in each geographic area.

Were respondents allowed to make comments on specific dentists?

This is a straight listing—no comments were allowed to influence the final list.

How is this an objective listing if it’s based on opinions?

Like medicine, dentistry is a profession that relies upon dentists referring one another. Peer review is a very effective method of determining who is the best in the field, since it’s based on the opinions of those most in the know: their colleagues.

Are results checked against state of Hawai‘i records for criminal action or misconduct? What would happen if a misconduct complaint had been filed against a winner?

Yes, PRS checks with the Professional and Vocational Licensing Board of the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. If a dentist is not in good standing or isn’t currently licensed, that dentist would not be included on the list.

The professionals listed herein were selected by their peers in a survey conducted by Professional Research Services Company of Royal Oak, Michigan. For further information, visit prscom.com or email asamhat@hour-media.com.